Helmet Oddity: The Off-Silver Color of the Detroit Lions Helmets in the Early 1970s

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

Some of you who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s and followed NFL football may remember that in several product lines that featured helmets the Detroit Lions silver helmet was a different hue than other silver helmets like the Cowboys or Raiders.

We've posted that the Raiders equipment manager liked to tweak the color of the Raiders helmets from year to year, but that didn't occur with the Lions helmets.

Above is a set of cardboard helmets and as you can see there is a different tone, however in our view this is an exaggerated example, but it does illustrate the maker of the product was working with a different hue than Dallas or Oakland's hue.

Here is a display of some NFL game-used helmets. Not the Lions color compared to the Seahawks, Cowboys (that has a blue hue) and Raiders.

And the off-color  seemed to be a theme in lots of NFL helmet products as well.

Here is 1970s helmet plaque:

And a Rawlings kids helmet:

There was something to it as you can tell from these shots, there is a slight gold tone or hue to them:

 

Some we've discussed this with think it may go back the the1950s when there was also a time when the helmets had a gold hue, but that disappeared, as far as we are aware in the 1960s. Here are some shots from the 1950s:

 Dr. Del Rye of Helmet Hut.com was asked if the Lions ever wore gold helemts, his answer is found here. Essentially, he says the gold hue was caused by the products in the helmet, when they aged, that caused a yellowing finish.

But, that never explained to us why the 1970s helmets has a similar, but less drastic look.

Dr. Z's New York Post All-Pro Teams

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

I first became familiar with Paul Zimmerman's work in 1979, especially when he chose who All-Pro team for Sports Illustrated after that season. I was perplexed because I didn't see the familiar names that were on the AP, PFWA and NEA All-Pro teams, the ones that were usually published in the NFL Record and Fact Book.

Every year after that I'd enjoy looking forward to seeing his teams. In his books he'd mentioned that began his practice of choosing his teams in the New York Post in 1969, I once called him to see if he kept copies of those teams, and he said, "You'd have to contact the Post".

Eventually, through the miracle of Interlibrary loan and microfilm, I was able to get those teams. I first published them in 1999 in All-Pros: The Modern Years.

Zim was proud of picking a guy a year before the rest of the football writers and eliminating those who were All-Pro at the end of a long string, thinking that sometimes a player got honors a year or two after he's lost his effectiveness.

I once sent him a list of his selections that seemingly preceeded the rest of the All-Pro world catching up, here are those from 1969-78:

1969
Randy Rasmussen

1970
Rayfield Wright
Larry Little
Chuck Walton
Ed Flanagan

1971
George Kunz
Cedrick Hardman
Isiah Robertson

1973
Jack Youngblood
Bob Kuechenberg
Otis Sistrunk
Lemar Parrish

1974
John Hannah
Wally Chambers
Dave Elmendorf

1975
Blaine Nye
Vern Den Herder
Jerry Sherk
Robert Brazile

1976
Tom Jackson
Charlie Waters

1977
Steve Nelson
Louis Wright

1978
Lee Roy Selmon
Jim Youngblood
Pat Thomas

Since Sports Illustrated and MMQB is celebrating Paul Zimmerman this week, we though we'd add our two cents. Here are his selections from 1969-78. (1979 to the end is available in Sports Illustrated Vault)

New York Post 1969 All-AFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense:

WR      Don Maynard, NYJ

WR      Warren Wells, Oak

TE       Bob Trumpy, Cin

OT       Jim Tyrer, KC

OT       Winston Hill, NYJ

OG      Ed Budde, KC

OG      Randy Rasmussen, NYJ

C         E.J. Holub, KC

QB      Daryle Lamonica, Oak

RB       Floyd Little, Den

RB       Matt Snell, NYJ

  

Defense:

DE       Rich Jackson, Den

DE       Gerry Philbin, NYJ

DT       John Elliott, NYJ

DT       Tom Keating, Oak

MLB   Willie Lanier, KC

OLB    Bobby Bell, KC

OLB    Larry Grantham, NYJ

CB       Willie Brown, Oak

CB       Butch Byrd, Buf

S          Dave Grayson, Oak

S          Johnny Robinson, KC

New York Post 1970 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense:

WR      Gene Washington, SF

WR      Marlin Briscoe, Buf

TE       Charlie Sanders, Det

OT       Winston Hill, NYJ

OT       Rayfield Wright, Dal

OG      Larry Little, Mia

OG      Chuck Walton, Det

C         Ed Flanagan, Det

QB      Fran Tarkenton, NYG

RB       Larry Brown, Was

RB       Ron Johnson, NYG

Defense

DE       Rich Jackson, Den

DE       Deacon Jones, LA

DT       Alan Page, Min

DT       John Elliott, NYJ

MLB   Dick Butkus, Chi

OLB    Andy Russell, Pit

OLB    Larry Stallings, StL

CB       Jimmy Johnson, SF

CB       Willie Brown, Oak

FS        Spider Lockhart, NYG

SS        Jerry Logan, Bal

New York Post 1971 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Paul Warfield, Mia

WR      Otis Taylor, KC

TE       Charlie Sanders, Det

OT       George Kunz, Atl

OT       Rockne Freitas, Det

OG      John Niland, Dal

OG      Larry Little, Mia

C         Forrest Blue, SF

QB      Len Dawson, KC

RB       John Brockington, GB

RB       Larry Csonka, Mia

  

Defense

DE       Carl Eller, Min

DE       Cedrick Hardman, SF

DT       Alan Page, Min

DT       Bob Lilly, Dal

MLB   Willie Lanier, KC

OLB    Ted Hendricks, Bal

OLB    Isiah Robertson, LA

CB       Jimmy Johnson, SF

CB       Willie Brown, Oak

FS        Bill Bradley, Phi

SS        Ken Houston, Hou

New York Post 1972 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Harold Jackson, Phi

WR      John Gilliam, Min

TE       Ted Kwalick, SF

OT       Rayfield Wright, Dal

OT       Winston Hill, NYJ

OG      Larry Little, Mia

OG      Tom Mack, LA

C         Forrest Blue, SF

QB      Joe Namath, NYJ

RB       Larry Brown, Was

RB       Larry Csonka, Mia

Defense

DE       Claude Humphrey, Atl

DE       Jack Gregory, NYG

DT       Joe Greene, Pit

DT       Bob Lilly, Dal

MLB   Willie Lanier, KC

OLB    Chris Hanburger, Was

OLB    Dave Wilcox, SF

CB       Willie Brown, Oak

CB       Jim Johnson, SF

FS        Bill Bradley, Phi

SS        Dick Anderson, Mia

New York Post 1973 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Harold Jackson, LA

WR      Harold Carmichael, Phi

TE       Charle Young, Phi

OT       Rayfield Wright, Dal

OT       Art Shell, Oak

OG      Reggie McKenzie, Buf

OG      Bob Kuechenberg, Mia

C         Jim Langer, Mia

QB      Roman Gabriel, Phi

RB       O.J. Simpson, Buf

RB       Larry Csonka, Mia

Defense

DE       Claude Humphrey, Atl

DE       Jack Youngblood, LA

DT       Joe Greene, Pit

DT       Otis Sistrunk, Oak

MLB   Willie Lanier, KC

OLB    Isiah Robertson, LA

OLB    Phil Villapiano, Oak

CB       Robert James, Buf

CB       Lemar Parrish, Cin

FS        Jake Scott, Mia

SS        Dick Anderson, Mia

New York Post 1974 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Cliff Branch, Oak

WR      Drew Pearson, Dal

TE       Rich Caster, NYJ

OT       Ron Yary, Min

OT       Art Shell, Oak

OG      Bob Kuechenberg, Mia

OG      John Hannah, NE

C         Jim Langer, Mia

QB      Ken Anderson, Cin

RB       Lawrence McCutcheon, LA

RB       Terry Metcalf, StL

Defense

DE       Claude Humphrey, Atl

DE       Bill Stanfill, Mia

DT       Joe Greene, Pit

DT       Wally Chambers, Chi

MLB   Bill Bergey, Phi

OLB    Ted Hendricks, GB

OLB    Jack Ham, Pit

CB       Robert James, Buf

CB       Roger Wehrli, StL

FS        Tony Greene, Buf

SS        Dave Elmendorf, LA

New York Post 1975 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Lynn Swann, Pit

WR      Mel Gray, StL

TE       Rich Caster, NYJ

OT       Dan Dierdorf, StL

OT       Art Shell, Oak

OG      Bob Kuechenberg, Mia

OG      Blaine Nye, Dal

C         Jim Langer, Mia

QB      Fran Tarkenton, Min

RB       O.J. Simpson, Buf

RB       Chuck Foreman, Min

Defense

DE       Jack Youngblood, LA

DE       Vern Den Herder, Mia

DT       Wally Chambers, Chi

DT       Jerry Sherk, Cle

MLB   Jack Lambert, Pit

OLB    Jack Ham, Pit

OLB    Robert Brazile, Hou

CB       Mel Blount, Pit

CB       Roger Wehrli, StL

FS        Paul Krause, Min

SS        Ken Houston, Was

New York Post 1976 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Cliff Branch, Oak

WR      Roger Carr, Bal

TE       Dave Casper, Oak

OT       Dan Dierdorf, StL

OT       Art Shell, Oak

OG      John Hannah, NE

OG      Gene Upshaw, Oak

C         Jim Langer, Mia

QB      Bert Jones, Bal

RB       O.J. Simpson, Buf

RB       Chuck Foreman, Min

Defense

DE       Jack Youngblood, LA

DE       Coy Bacon, Cin

DT       Wally Chambers, Chi

DT       Jerry Sherk, Cle

MLB   Jack Lambert, Pit

OLB    Jack Ham, Pit

OLB    Tom Jackson, Den

CB       Monte Jackson, LA

CB       Mike Haynes, NE

FS        Cliff Harris, Dal

SS        Charlie Waters, Dal

New York Post 1977 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Nat Moore, Mia

WR      Lynn Swann, Pit

TE       Dave Casper, Oak

OT       Art Shell, Oak

OT       Dan Dierdorf, StL

OG      Randy Rasmussen, NYJ

OG      George Buehler, Oak

C         Jim Langer, Mia

QB      Bob Griese, Mia

RB       Walter Payton, Chi

RB       Franco Harris, Pit

Defense

DE       Lyle Alzado, Den

DE       Harvey Martin, Dal

DT       Cleveland Elam, SF

DT       Larry Brooks, LA

MLB   Steve Nelson, NE

OLB    Jack Ham, Pit

OLB    Tom Jackson, Den

CB       Rolland Lawrence, Atl

CB       Louis Wright, Den

FS        Cliff Harris, Dal

SS        Charlie Waters, Dal

New York Post 1978 All-NFL Team

Selected by Paul Zimmerman

Offense

WR      Wesley Walker, NYJ

WR      Lynn Swann, Pit

TE       Dave Casper, Oak

OT       Dan Dierdorf, StL

OT       Leon Gray, NE

OG      John Hannah, NE

OG      Joe DeLamielleure, Buf

C         Mike Webster, Pit

QB      Jim Zorn, Sea

RB       Earl Campbell, Hou

RB       Walter Payton, Chi

Defense

DE       Al Baker, Det

DE       Lee Roy Selmon, TB

DT       Randy White, Dal

DT       Louie Kelcher, SD

MLB   Randy Gradishar, Den

OLB    Jack Ham, Pit

OLB    Jim Youngblood, LA

CB       Louis Wright, Den

CB       Pat Thomas, LA

FS        Thom Darden, Cle

SS        Charlie Waters, Dal

And Now For Something Completely Different: Mays and Mantle

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

 Allen Barra  is an excellent researcher and writer and I really enjoyed his book Mickey and Willie: Mantle and Mays, the Parallel Lives of Baseball's Golden Age. In my view it was well researched and a great read.

However, being honest, I had one problem with the book. In my view it seemed to have a slight "Mickey Mantle is better bias" and it showed up in two ways. First, the term "Gold Glove" did not appear in the book. Mays won twelve and Mantle three. Second, in the two appendices Barra used two baseball metrics that favored Mantle. One was Pete Palmer's player rating (TPR) and the other was Bill James's Win Shares (WS). There are other metrics, such as WAR and versions of it that are not so clear cut.

Thus, I've searched the Web and found all the metrics and put them into one chart so folks can take a look and make their own determination as to may have been better (if anyone really was).

Here are the various WAR with TPR and WS in a chart.
(click to enlarge)

With Plamer's total player rating, I added 2.5 to both to make the totals more similar to the WAR numbers, it could also be called TPR above average with 2.5 being average. I did the same for both players so this will still favor Mantle. Most analysis of the AL and NL in that era rated the average player higher in the NL than the Al due to better integration of the NL but I ignored that for TPR. Had a good analysis of what the average player in each league was, the 2.5 number I chose would be different. Perhaps 2.5 for NL and 2.2 for AL, for example.

With Bill James's Win Shares I divided it by 3.5 to make it come out to about the same as others so it would be weighted more evenly. Again, it still favors Mantle.

I also adjusted Mickey Mantle's 1963 to a full season, which helps him in the graphs down below, the 3-year, 4-year averages, etc.

You can click on links to go to source for charts.

Key: TPR+2.5 Pete Palmer's version http://www.amazon.com/Total-Baseball-Official-Encyclopedia-League/dp/1930844018 WS ÷ 3.5 Bill James's version http://seamheads.com/baseballgauge/player.php?playerID=mayswi01 http://seamheads.com/baseballgauge/player.php?playerID=mantlmi01 BFW+3 retrosheet.org version http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmaysw101.htm http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmantm101.htm BR-WAR baseball-reference.com version http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mayswi01.shtml http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mantlmi01.shtml FG-WAR fangraphs.com version http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1008315&position=OF#advanced http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1008082&position=OF WARP baseballprospectus.com version http://www.baseballprospectus.com/card/card.php?id=25672 http://www.baseballprospectus.com/card/card.php?id=25475 BP-WAR baseballprojection.com version http://www.baseballprojection.com/war/m/maysw101.htm http://www.baseballprojection.com/war/m/mantm101.htm BG-WAR Baseballgauge version http://seamheads.com/baseballgauge/player.php?playerID=mantlmi01 http://seamheads.com/baseballgauge/player.php?playerID=mayswi01 DR-WARP Dan Rosenheck's version baseball think factory http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/willie_mays/P100 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/ranking_the_hall_of_merit_center_fielders_discussion/P100 T-WAR My own version of WAR Uses Michael Humphrey's revolutionary new fielding statistic, called Defensive Regression Analysis (DRA)   DRA for defense, WPA/ LI for offense and Smith's "holds" from Baseball refernce.com So, as you can see above there were peaks and valleys for both players. Here are some different averages for different periods of time. People can make up their own minds, as Coach TJ Troup, who saw both play, says, "Mantle was amazing power" and "Mays was sustained greatness". These charts show that those comments are true. (Click to enlarge)

A Few Diagrams From Buddy Ryan's Playbook

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

Ryan with the Jets. Colorization by PFJ

With the passing of Buddy Ryan we thought it might be appropriate to show a few pages from Buddy Ryan's playbook, specifically the 46 scheme and a few of the blitzes from that alignment.

Here is the 46 alignment. the "J" is the left linebacker, in the 1985 version it would have been Otis Wilson. The "C" was the right linebacker, moved to the left and Wilber Marshall was that player.  By 1985 the SS was Dave Duerson, Todd Bell held out and #46 Doug Plank was long gone. It was Plank's uniform number that the 46 took its name from.

This is the 46 Jayhawk alignment where the SS goes outside to the slot receiver and Charlie and Mike slide to the right.

The is the 46 Hamburger blitz. Both Jack and Charlie blitz and the defensive linemen rush upfield. It's man coverage with the weak safety taking the tight end and the middle linebacker taking the fullback and the strong safety taking the halfback.
 This is the 46 Cheesburger blitz. Al most the same as Hamburger, but the strong 3-technique and the nose tackle run a loop (in other defenses it this may be called a "twist".

This one is called the 46 Mike Blitz.  Below it there is a short video clip for educational and critical purposes. It is reversed in that the tight end is to the left, and Jack and Charley are to the right and Richard Dent is to the left. You can see Marshall take the tight end man to man and Otis Wilson and Mike Singeltary blitz with Wilson getting the sack.

46 Mike Blitz (for educational and criticism purposes)

This is the 46 59 blitz. In this all three linebackers blitz, but Jack is in a blitz-peel technique, meaning if back releases he takes that back but usually, that back will block him. Again it's man coverage.

This is the 46 SS blitz. Here it shows the SS blitzing through the A-gap, but that could vary depending if there is a line call that would ask the defensive linemen to twist.

This is the 46 Cover-3 when the 'backers or safety may show blitz, but fall back to a four-under three-deep zone and only the four linemen rush.

There are, obviously quite a few more, but this gives us a flavor of the 46 defense.

Here are a few excerpts from the 1993 Houston Oilers defensive manual. In most playbooks there will be goals set and a defensive philosophy and terminology expressed.

Here are the1993 Oilers defensive goals. In red we have added the actual season totals:

.